1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass run for use in a motor vehicle, which is adapted to be attached to an inner periphery of a door frame of the motor vehicle to guide a door glass as it is raised and lowered.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a glass run 10 is attached to an inner periphery of a door frame 12 of a vehicle door 14 for guiding a door glass 16 as it is raised and lowered. FIGS. 2 through 4 show a conventional attaching structure of the glass run 10. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG. 1 and showing the attaching relationship between the glass run 10 and weather strips.
As shown in FIG. 2, conventionally, the glass run 10 is fitted in a channel 18 of the door frame 12 to guide the door glass 16 upwardly and downwardly within a door glass opening provided along the inner periphery of the door frame 12, and effect a seal between the door glass 16 and the door frame 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the glass run 10 is generally formed by joining extruded straight sections 20 adapted to be attached along an upper side portion, a front vertical side portion and a rear vertical side portion of the door frame 12 with corner sections 22, each being formed by molding in conformity with the configuration of the door frame 12.
A door weather strip 24 is attached to an outer periphery of the door frame 12, and an opening trim weather strip 26 is attached to a flange provided in a door opening portion of a vehicle body, thereby sealing between the vehicle door 14 and the vehicle body. When the vehicle door 14 is closed, a tubular portion of the opening trim weather strip 26 contacts and seals a vehicle-interior surface of a protrusion 28 provided in an inner panel 30 defining the door frame 12.
As shown in FIG. 2, the glass run 10 includes an outer side wall 32, an inner side wall 34 and a bottom wall 36, and has a generally U-shaped cross-section. An outer seal lip 38 is provided to extend from an open end of the outer side wall 32 towards an interior space of the glass run 10. And an inner seal lip 40 is provided to extend from an open end of the inner side wall 34 towards the interior space of the glass run 10. In addition, an outer cover lip 42 is provided to extend from the open end of the outer side wall 32 along a vehicle-exterior surface thereof towards the bottom wall 36, and an inner cover lip 44 is provided to extend from the open end of the inner side wall 34 along a vehicle-interior surface thereof towards the bottom wall 36. In some examples, the outer cover lip 42 and the inner cover lip 44 are made short according to the configuration of the door frame 12.
The outer side wall 32, the inner side wall 34 and the bottom wall 36 are inserted in the channel 18 provided in the door frame 12, and exterior surfaces of these walls contact interior surfaces of the channel 18. An outer panel 46 of the door frame 12 and one side edge of the channel 18 are inserted between the outer side wall 32 and the outer cover lip 42, whereas the inner panel 30 and the other side edge of the channel 18 are inserted between the inner side wall 34 and the inner cover lip 44, thereby holding the glass run 10.
And, as shown in FIG. 1, in a corner part of the door 14, the upper side portion and the vertical side portion of the door frame 12 abut on, and are joined to each other. And an upper side portion and a vertical side portion of the channel are joined to each other, similarly. A resultant corner part 48 of the door frame 12 is formed at an acute angle, and consequently, the corner section 22 of the glass run 10 is molded at an acute angle in conformity with the configuration of the channel 18 of the door frame 12.
The vehicle body is provided by welding a plurality of panels defining the vehicle body so that the radius of curvature of a corner part of the door opening portion of the vehicle body, which is adapted to face the door frame 12 when the vehicle door 14 is closed, is great as compared with that of the corner part 48 of the door frame 12.
Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, arcuate corner pieces 50 and 52 are attached so as to cover the corner part 48 of the door frame 12, thereby making the radius of curvature of the corner part 48 of the door frame 12 approximately equal to that of the door opening portion of the vehicle body.
And corner covers 54 and 56 are provided in the corner section 22 of the glass run 10 so as to cover the corner pieces 50 and 52.
In a glass run 58 of FIG. 3, the corner piece 50 is attached to the corner part 48 of the door frame 12, and a projecting end of a pressing part 60 provided in a rear surface of the corner cover 54 is pressed on a rib 62 provided in a rear surface of an end portion 64 of the corner piece 50 thus attached, and consequently, a corner cover lip 66 covers the end portion 64 of the corner piece 50 without peeling therefrom (see Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2009-234395, for example).
However, where the glass run 58 is attached after attaching the corner piece 50 to the corner part 48 of the door frame 12, there occurs the problem that the corner cover lip 66 and the pressing part 60 contact the end portion 64 of the corner piece 50, and are caught thereby. As a result, it becomes difficult to attach the glass run 58 to the door frame 12.
In addition, there occurs the problem that, as the length of the corner cover 54 increases, the rigidity thereof lowers so that an end of the corner cover lip 66 is caught by the end portion 64 of the corner piece 50, thereby causing the deformation of the corner cover 54.
Furthermore, in a glass run 68 of FIG. 4, the corner piece 52 is attached to the corner part 48 of the door frame 12, and a hook-shaped bending part 70 provided along an end edge of the corner piece 52 is held in a recess defined with a holding part 74 and a lip 76, which are provided along an end edge of the corner cover 56 of the glass run 68 (see Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2009-107485, for example).
However, where the glass run 68 is attached after attaching the corner piece 52 to the door frame 12, similarly to the case of the glass run 58, there occurs the problem that the holding part 74 and the lip 76 strike against the hook-shaped bending part 70 of the corner piece 52. As a result, the corner cover 56 bends along a bending recess 78 so that it becomes difficult to attach the glass run 68 to the door frame 12.